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People today expect to be connected always and everywhere; sometimes it’s hard to believe that there was a world before smartphones and Wi-Fi. In the time since Wi-Fi became ubiquitous in hotels, apartments, and public spaces, it has fueled the evolution of connectivity in a lot of ways. Just like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the most basic needs start at the bottom, and you can’t get to the next level without a strong foundation.

By now, everyone is aware that hotel giant Marriott International announced on Friday a massive data breach that goes back more than four years and may have affected up to 500 million customers worldwide.

Mobile technology is fast becoming central to the entire travel experience. Consumers are increasingly using their smartphones to research trips, book accommodation, check in at the airport, and access their hotel room. But one of the next big roles mobile has to play in the travel process is mobile payment. The idea of an entirely cashless society might still seem some way off, but mobile payment is gaining popularity. As it becomes more widely used, its fast and frictionless nature will bring benefits before, during and after a trip.

Digital marketing, also known as internet marketing, plays a significant role to boost hotel website traffic and online bookings. Recently, many big announcements were made in the digital industry, for example when Facebook introduced a new video format for marketers, or when Google announced a board core algorithm. If you are a new hotelier and want to stay ahead in the industry, then you should know what’s going on in the hotel digital marketing industry.

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The Hierarchy of Connectivity—From Wi-Fi to Loyalty

12/05/2018

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People today expect to be connected always and everywhere; sometimes it’s hard to believe that there was a world before smartphones and Wi-Fi. In the time since Wi-Fi became ubiquitous in hotels, apartments, and public spaces, it has fueled the evolution of connectivity in a lot of ways. Just like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the most basic needs start at the bottom, and you can’t get to the next level without a strong foundation.

Reliable & fast Wi-Fi access

First and foremost, people expect to be connected always and everywhere—whether they're at home, traveling, or in between. Offering easy and fast guest Wi-Fi is the most basic step towards keeping up with guest needs. Guest Wi-Fi experience is inevitably tied to brand identity and it's important for brands to take control.

Cloud-based management & integrations
A central management platform is the best foundation to enable a consistent and seamless Wi-Fi experience across multiple devices, properties, and providers. Being the #1 most demanded amenity, Wi-Fi has an undeniable effect on brand loyalty. It's too important to be managed disparately from property to property. Cloud-based management gives brands the control they need to ensure a seamless experience always and everywhere.

Auto-authentication via Passpoint™ (a.k.a. Hotspot 2.0)
Not all Wi-Fi management platforms are created equally. The best way to offer the frictionless and consistent experience people want is to offer global lifetime access to Wi-Fi. Today, with Passpoint/Hotspot 2.0, that's possible. Passpoint also enables WPA2™ encrypted access. For the first time, an automatic and secure Wi-Fi experience is possible.

IoT enables smart rooms & content casting
By the year 2020, the number of connected devices is predicted to surpass 30 billion (Statista). With the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), the connectivity experience will evolve. Today, the most common use case is content casting from personal devices to the in-room TV. Tomorrow, the smart room of the future could include any number of devices designed to enhance the guest experience.

Brand loyalty & personalized experiences
Wi-Fi is a crucial touch point between hoteliers and guests. A central authentication platform allows hoteliers to recognize not just the device that connects to the Wi-Fi, but the person using it. Leveraging Wi-Fi data for even richer guest profiles allows you to deliver a better, more personalized Wi-Fi experience that truly delights guests and drives brand loyalty.

About The Author

Eleven

Eleven pioneered cloud-based Wi-Fi management software in 2002 and has since become one of hospitality’s leading guest Wi-Fi platforms. ElevenOS enables brands to centrally manage guest Wi-Fi across multiple devices, properties and providers with real-time analytics. ElevenOS works with leading network hardware and service providers without the need for proprietary infrastructure. Thousands of hotels, with more than 600,000 guestrooms and 13,000 meeting rooms collectively, rely on ElevenOS to leverage their Wi-Fi networks to drive brand loyalty.